What is Buddhism?
Buddhism is a path of practice and spiritual development first taught by Siddhārtha Gautama, later known as "the Buddha", in Ancient India (c. 5th or 4th centuries BCE). It is the fourth largest world religion, with 7% of the global population known as Buddhists. Its practitioners are concentrated primarily in East and Southeast Asia, however, more recently, it is gaining influence in the West. Buddhist traditions and practices vary widely, with most focused on understanding and overcoming suffering and realizing the true nature of reality, which is commonly called "enlightenment" (at Lotus Heart Zen we use "Awaken" instead of "enlightenment). How one engages with the path of practices and achieves enlightenment, depends on the interpretation of the particular tradition of Buddhism one practices.
The traditions and practices that make up what is called Buddhism today developed over thousands of years after Siddhārtha Gautama died. While alive, Siddhārtha Gautama, taught a spiritual path that was balanced evenly between sensual indulgence and severe asceticism, which he called "The Middle Way". This middle path included ethical training, meditation and mindfulness practices. A few centuries after his death he came to be known as "the Buddha", which means "One Who is Awake". His teachings, which were passed down orally for centuries before being written down, are compiled into scripture called sutras. These sutras contain the Buddha's discourses and codes of practice for monastics. Subsequent scripture, not attributed directly to the Buddha, was added in later years.
Today there are two primary schools of Buddhism surviving: Theravada and Mahayana. Theravada Buddhism is more common in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Myanmar (Burma), Laos, and Thailand. Mahayana Buddhism is practiced throughout East Asia. Zen, Pure Land, Nichiren, Shingon and Tiantai are traditions that fall under Mahayana Buddhism. Vajrayana Buddhism, an esoteric tradition, which includes Tibetan Buddhism, is a separate branch or another tradition within Mahayana Buddhism, depending on the practitioner's view. Vajrayana Buddhism is more widely practiced in throughout the Himalayas, Mongolia and the Republic of Kalmykia, in Russia.
The primary features of Buddhism are:
The traditions and practices that make up what is called Buddhism today developed over thousands of years after Siddhārtha Gautama died. While alive, Siddhārtha Gautama, taught a spiritual path that was balanced evenly between sensual indulgence and severe asceticism, which he called "The Middle Way". This middle path included ethical training, meditation and mindfulness practices. A few centuries after his death he came to be known as "the Buddha", which means "One Who is Awake". His teachings, which were passed down orally for centuries before being written down, are compiled into scripture called sutras. These sutras contain the Buddha's discourses and codes of practice for monastics. Subsequent scripture, not attributed directly to the Buddha, was added in later years.
Today there are two primary schools of Buddhism surviving: Theravada and Mahayana. Theravada Buddhism is more common in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Myanmar (Burma), Laos, and Thailand. Mahayana Buddhism is practiced throughout East Asia. Zen, Pure Land, Nichiren, Shingon and Tiantai are traditions that fall under Mahayana Buddhism. Vajrayana Buddhism, an esoteric tradition, which includes Tibetan Buddhism, is a separate branch or another tradition within Mahayana Buddhism, depending on the practitioner's view. Vajrayana Buddhism is more widely practiced in throughout the Himalayas, Mongolia and the Republic of Kalmykia, in Russia.
The primary features of Buddhism are:
- It is a non-theistic religion, that is, the core of the teachings do not include worship of a creator god or supreme being. The basic tenets of Buddhism are practical and applicable to anyone's life. Buddhism can be practiced by anyone, regardless of race, nationality, status, gender, gender-identity, or sexual orientation. People of other faith traditions, in which there may be a Supreme Being or pantheon of Gods, can practice Buddhism. Many countries in Asia have incorporated Buddhism into the indigeonus religion that was practiced in the country or region at the time of its arrival.
- The Buddha is not a god, nor is the Buddha worshipped. The Buddha is an spiritually advanced, highly realized being. Siddharta Gautama was a human being, a man, who lived and taught in Ancient India, who is referred to as The Buddha, for his spiritual attainments. Anyone has the potential to become a Buddha. When practitioners bow to a statue or image of the Buddha, they are offering respect to the man who brought the teachings to the world, and they are bowing to the Buddha within themselves.
- The Four Noble Truth and The Eighfold Path are the primary teachings given by the Budda and form the core of Buddhist pactice. They teach about understanding the many disatisfactions in life and how to transform them through ethical discipline, meditation practice and cultivating wisdom.
- Buddhism is practiced in temples or at home. Most Buddhists are lay practitioners. Only some traditions have a monastic order, in which monks and nuns follow a particular code of conduct, and who may or may not live cloistered in a monastery.
- There is no one unifying symbol for Buddhism. The eight-spoked wheel is a common symbol, however, a lotus blossom, a tree, and swastika are also used. (Note: the swastika is an ancient Indo-European symbol used by many cultures, that primarily symbolized, harmony or well-being. The Nazi Party of pre-WW I Europe used the swastika, leading to the West viewing it as a symbol of hatred, racism and anti-semitism.) The swastika is still used quite widely in Asia, while, understandably, much less so in the West.)
Who is the Buddha?
Buddha is a Sanskrit word meaning "One Who is Awake", it is a title conferred upon someone who has gained insight into the truth of reality, and as a result, no longer subject to the many disappointments of life. Most often when the title is used, it is referring to Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha of our time.
Siddhartha Gautama was born approximately 2600 years ago in Lumbini, in what is modern day Nepal, to an aristocratic family of the Shakya clan. Despite a high status and luxurious lifestyle, he struggled with dissatisfaction and the sorrows associated with living. As a result, he renounced his worldly life and became a mendicant (beggar monk) and sought out teachers to help him find answers to his questions. For several years he practiced meditation and the most extreme asceticism, until in Bodh Gaya in Ancient India, he awakened, to the truth of reality, and gained understanding about the nature of dissatisfaction and what keeps people trapped within it.
He then spent the next 45 years traveling throughout the Ganges River Plain teaching and establishing a community of monks and dedicated lay practitioners. He introduced the practice of the middle way, which was a harmony between worldly pleasures and severe asceticism. He died at age 80, in Kushinagar, also in Ancient India. During his life teaching he was called Shakyamuni "Sage of the Shakya Clan" or the Tathāgata, "one who has thus come", likely referring to the transcendant nature of his spiritual realization. It wasn't until a few centuries after his passing that he became known as "the Buddha".
Siddhartha Gautama was born approximately 2600 years ago in Lumbini, in what is modern day Nepal, to an aristocratic family of the Shakya clan. Despite a high status and luxurious lifestyle, he struggled with dissatisfaction and the sorrows associated with living. As a result, he renounced his worldly life and became a mendicant (beggar monk) and sought out teachers to help him find answers to his questions. For several years he practiced meditation and the most extreme asceticism, until in Bodh Gaya in Ancient India, he awakened, to the truth of reality, and gained understanding about the nature of dissatisfaction and what keeps people trapped within it.
He then spent the next 45 years traveling throughout the Ganges River Plain teaching and establishing a community of monks and dedicated lay practitioners. He introduced the practice of the middle way, which was a harmony between worldly pleasures and severe asceticism. He died at age 80, in Kushinagar, also in Ancient India. During his life teaching he was called Shakyamuni "Sage of the Shakya Clan" or the Tathāgata, "one who has thus come", likely referring to the transcendant nature of his spiritual realization. It wasn't until a few centuries after his passing that he became known as "the Buddha".
The Core Teachings of Buddhism
Life is a continual process of change, making all things marked by the quality of impermanence. Buddhism acknowledge this fact, and utilizes the mind to help us influence that change for the better. Buddhism offers many methods for working on the mind, the primary method taught is the practice of meditation. While there are various forms of meditation practice, they are all aimed at developing a stronger, more resilient mind, often characterised by calm, concentration, awareness, and equanimity. The concentration and awareness developed through meditation allows the practitioner to have a fuller understanding of oneself, other people, and of life itself. Buddhism is not a prostylizing religion. Buddhists generally don't seek to "convert" people, but they try to make Buddhist teachings available to whoever is interested, and people are free to adopt as much or as little as they are comfortable with.
See the links below to explore the core teachings of Buddhism.
See the links below to explore the core teachings of Buddhism.
